In Sermon Illustrations: "Luke 14%3A25-33" showing 601-620 of 1,154

One Of The Powerful Figures In Wall Street Fell ...  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 29, 2001

One of the powerful figures in Wall Street fell in love with an actress. For many months he was always seen escorting her about in the fashionable circles of town. Deciding to marry her, he first put a private detective to the job of looking into her former dealings and friends in order to guard ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5, Luke 6:37-42

Tags: Holiness, Gossip, Judgment, Romantic Love, Reputation, Pride  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In 1994, Two Christian Missionaries Answered An ...  PRO

Contributed by Rob Short on Apr 7, 2001

In 1994, two Christian missionaries answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics in a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. It was nearing ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-22, Luke 2:1-7

Tags: Always, Beginning, Birth Of Jesus, Memorial, Memories, Loved Ones, Look, New Beginning, Survival, Remember, Russian, Search  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Young Harold Had A Really Bad Case Of Attention ...  PRO

Contributed by Tom Lovorn on Apr 10, 2001

Young Harold had a really bad case of Attention Deficit Disorder. On Palm Sunday, Harold’s Sunday School teacher sent empty plastic eggs home with each of her students. Mrs. Wilson told them to bring something back in the eggs next Sunday to represent Easter. She really didn’t expect Harold to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:46-52, Luke 7:11-17

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus, Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Baptist

In The Spring Of 1940, War Between England And ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Miano on Apr 30, 2001

In the spring of 1940, war between England and Germany was beginning to wage in the Atlantic. The allied fleets of America and England were still abiding by a disarmament treaty that limited the size of warships. But the Germans were building ships of gigantic proportions. One such ship, the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:20, Hebrews 9:1-30

Tags: God's Omnipotence, Faith General, Emotions

Denomination: *other

Reaching The End Of A Job Interview, The Human ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2001

Reaching the end of a job interview, the human resources person asked a young engineer fresh out of MIT what kind of a salary he was looking for. "In the neighborhood of $140,000 a year, depending on the benefits package." "Well, what would you say to a package of 5-weeks vacation, 14 paid ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-3, Luke 17:7-10

Tags: Servant, Workplace, Christian Disciplines

Nothing Can Choke The Heart And Soul Out Of ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Oct 11, 2001

Nothing can choke the heart and soul out of walking with God like legalism. Consider the story of Hans the tailor. Because of his reputation, an influential entrepreneur visiting the city ordered a tailor-made suit. But when he came to pick up his suit, the customer found that one sleeve ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:33-35, Mark 5:1-12

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, What Is Evangelism?, Christian Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Assertive Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Todd Schäve on Nov 6, 2001

ASSERTIVE PRAYER: Assertive prayer is expressing to the Lord our feelings and thoughts, with all due respect and humility, and making our requests known to the Lord, and leaving the results up to him. Jesus alludes to assertive prayer, when he said, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-13, Matthew 7:7-8

Tags: Prayer Supplication, Prayer General, Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Baptist

Salvation Is Free, ... But Discipleship Will Cost ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

Salvation is free, ... but discipleship will cost you your life. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:5-11, Matthew 14:13-21

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Discipleship

The Cheering Crowd  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 25, 2002

THE CHEERING CROWD Picabo Street first joined the U.S. Ski Team when she was only 17. She went on to become the only American skier to ever win the World Cup downhill championship. In 1996 she tore a crucial ligament in her left knee. The 30 year-old Street went through extensive ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:29, Hebrews 12:1

Tags: God The Father, Church Body Of Christ, Church Small Groups

What Is Your God?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2002

WHAT IS YOUR GOD? "Whatever you love most, serve most, seek out most, give to the most, worship the most, and care about the most is your god. Your “god” can be your career, your bank account, the way you look, a particular position or degree, influence, power, or physical pleasure. It ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-22, Luke 10:38-42

Tags: Idolatry, Materialism, World

One Day A Man Was Talking To His Grandson ...

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jul 2, 2002

ILL. One day a man was talking to his grandson right after he had graduated from high school. And he asked, "My boy, what are your plans? What are you going to do with your life?" The grandson said, "I plan to go to college & then graduate from college. His grandfather ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:26, Luke 9:25

Tags: Eternity, Graduation, Future, Life, Planning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Stolen Billfold  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jul 21, 2002

Stolen Billfold John was driving home late one night when he picked up a hitchhiker. As they rode along, he began to be suspicious of his passenger. John checked to see if his wallet was safe in the pocket of his coat that was on the seat between them, but it wasn’t there! So he slammed on the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37, Matthew 7:1

Tags: Grace, Compassion

Denomination: Baptist

Everyone Loves A Parade  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2003

EVERYONE LOVES A PARADE It was October 29, 1927 when Charles Lindbergh was given a ticker-tape parade in New York City in honor of his solo flight of the Atlantic Ocean. 750,000 lbs. of ticker tape poured onto the streets. But the biggest ticker-tape parade was on March 1, 1962, for astronaut ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:28-44, Matthew 21:1-11

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

What Is This Mercy And Grace Exactly…  PRO

Contributed by Greg Buchner on May 5, 2005

What is this mercy and grace exactly… This past week I pulled my “Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms” (one of those books I bought in seminary but very rarely open today  ) off my library shelf. While I often quote that grace is the “unmerited favor of God,” it was interesting to ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:7, Luke 1:26-38

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Methodist

16 Year Old] Nathan Johnson Dreamed Of Starting ...  PRO

Contributed by John Shearhart on Sep 10, 2006

“[16 year old] Nathan Johnson dreamed of starting a revolution for Christ. [He wrote in his diary, “God’s] will for me is to radically impact my school for Him." But before he could see the revolution become a reality, Johnson’s life was cut short by an automobile accident [after] striking a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-13, Colossians 3:1-7

Tags: All Things

In The Fairy Tale, Alice In Wonderland I ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 12, 2007

In the fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland I believe it was the Cheshire Cat who said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” It could be we’re just living a fairy tale ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:46-49, Proverbs 29:18

Denomination: Baptist

A Sunday School Teacher Had Just Finished Telling ...  PRO

Contributed by Ken Kersten on Jan 22, 2004

A Sunday School teacher had just finished telling her third graders about how Jesus was crucified and placed in a tomb with a great stone sealing the opening. Then, wanting to share the excitement of the resurrection, she asked: "And what do you think were Jesus’ first words when He came bursting ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10, Luke 24:1-12

Tags: Easter Resurrection, Children

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Not Long Before She Died In 1988, In A Moment Of ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 28, 2004

Not long before she died in 1988, in a moment of surprising candor in television, Marghanita Laski, one of our best-known secular humanists and novelists, said, “What I envy most about you Christians is your ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:36-47, Mark 14:3-9

Tags: God's Forgiveness, God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist

Persistent, Tenacious Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2004

PERSISTENT, TENACIOUS PRAYER Our praying should be like the story of Jacob wrestling the angel in Genesis 32. They wrestled all night and toward morning, Jacob had the angel in a full Nelson grip. The angel said, “Jacob, let me go.” Now, I think it was like WWF, it was a fixed fight. The mighty ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 10:1, Luke 18:1-8

Tags: Prayer Persistence, Parable Widow

Asking Everywhere  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2004

ASKING EVERYWHERE As hopeless as her situation must have seemed, she was persistent. The language of verse three (present tense verb) indicated that every day she begged him for help. “The language leaves open the possibility of confrontation everywhere, not just in the court. She pleaded with ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 139:1-10

Tags: Parable Widow